Urchin and the Heartstone alternate ending: Part 1
by Padra the Otter
Summary: This story has two parts: this is the first. I'm going to keep the suspence and not reveal the next part until the first part is done. For those of you who don't know the Heartstone, Urchin is abducted to Whitewings Island, and he's trying to escape. He's held prisoner by mad King Silverbirch, who's obssesed with sliver. The entire island is dying from the sliver mines. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**This chapter takes place after Trail tattled on Bronze. Imagine for a moment that Bronze cheated death; I know, I know, the chances are very small; but it happens. **

Bronze walked toward King Sliverbirch's chamber door. He had an intense grin on his face. He couldn't wait to tell against Cedar. As he neared the door, he heard Silverbirch screaming, "How could you!" and a crash as something shattered on the floor. Two hedgehogs hurried out dragging something behind them. Bronze took no notice of it. He knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" said the king irritably.

"I'd like to speak with you, sir," said Bronze.

"About what?" said the king.

Bronze let himself in. "It's about Cedar, Your Majesty," he said, bowing. He shut the door behind him.

* * *

"The freak needs grooming," Cedar said to two guards. She was admitted to the cell, where she rubbed the lice lotion into Urchin's fur. As she was whispering plans to Urchin, she didn't notice Bronze sneaking in behind her. Just as Bronze was about to stab her, Urchin yelled, "Behind you!" Cedar whirled around just as Bronze stabbed her in the stomach. She curled over and fell to the ground. Urchin went to kneel beside her, but Bronze's sword tip at his throat forced him to stand straight.

"I found out about Cedar helping you," he grinned. Urchin could hear it in his voice.

"Say good-bye to your 'Cedar'," he snarled. Bronze flipped his sword and got ready to stab her. This was too much for Urchin; he couldn't bear the thought of Cedar being dead. He leaped forward and pushed Bronze back. Instinctively, Bronze curled up and dropped his sword. Urchin grabbed the sword and was about to stab Bronze when Trail knocked him to the ground. Urchin looked up and saw Trail in mid-air headed straight for him. Urchin closed his eyes and thrust his sword blindly forward. He heard a piercing scream and a thud. He sat up and saw Trail on the floor with blood coming from her throat. There was a moment's peace, but only a moment. Bronze, who had uncurled by now, grabbed Urchin's arms and jerked him to his paws. Before Urchin could react, Bronze punched him in the face. Urchin staggered backward and felt two powerful paws hold him fast-Urchin knew that grip-he was in Granite's paws.

"You know what to do, Bronze," grunted Granite. Bronze took the sword from Urchin's paws and held it by the blade. Urchin knew what was coming; he closed his eyes and tried to tilt his head but Granite forced his head up. Bronze swung the sword.

_**Wham!** _The hilt slammed into Urchin's head. He saw a white flash and everything went black. He dropped to the floor.

**A little note: where it says, "He shut the door behind him," there was supposed to be three asterisks there. I tried to put asterisks in, but every time I saved it, it would delete them; I don't know why. Computers are so annoying sometimes. **

**Quite a way to end a chapter, huh? Anyway, where do think Urchin is going to end up? Leave an answer in the reviews. **

**Wasn't Bronze being an absolute jerk? You'll see more of him in the next chapter. **

**Please review! **

**Padra the Otter. **


	2. Chapter 2

**What's going to happen to Urchin? Read on to find out. **

Urchin opened his eyes; he didn't know where he was. He tried to sit up, but he couldn't because he was bound to a table. By the torchlight in the room, the first thing he saw truly sickened him; dead squirrels' and hedgehogs' bodies hung from nails in the wall, surrounded by knives and swords. Urchin knew where he was-he was in Smokewreath's lair.

The door banged open, and Urchin closed his eyes. He heard various rustlings. When it was quiet again, he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw disturbed him; Cedar was lying right next to him with blood in her fur, also bound.

"Cedar?" he whispered. She didn't answer. "Cedar?" he tried again. No answer. Urchin's heart sank. His rescuer was, he thought, dead; and chances of escape were, he thought, impossible.

_"I might as well die here," _he thought, losing hope. Hope. That name reminded him of Hope the hedgehog, the friendly young hedgehog whom he rescued from armed moles.

_"I'll get back to Mistmantle for you, Hope," _he thought, _"I won't-" _the door banging open interrupted his thoughts. Silverbirch and Smokewreath glided in, followed by Bronze, Granite, and the rest of the guards.

"What do you suggest we do with them?" Bronze asked.

"I say kill them both," grunted Granite. "I never liked Urchin, and I had my suspicions about Cedar from the start."

"We can't kill them," the king said, "Urchin's supposed to be the island's deliverer." He turned to Bronze. "If you killed him, I will have your spines shaved off!" he threatened.

"I was only doing my duty," Bronze retorted back.

The king was in no mood to argue. "Never mind; we'll have this argument later."

Everyone left except Bronze and Granite. Bronze sat in a chair beside the two tables and looked at Granite. _"Why can't I be the Lord Marshall?" _he thought. He had always been jealous of Granite's position, and he couldn't hold his jealously much longer. He strolled over to Granite's side.

"When you die, may I be the Lord Marshall?" he asked.

"Shut up!" Granite snapped. "You'll never be me, even if you tried."

These words infuriated Bronze, and he swished out his sword. "Then I'll die trying!" he shouted.

Granite drew his sword. "You can't win, runt," he grunted.

With a yell, Bronze charged at Granite, but Granite dodged him. Unable to stop, Bronze slammed into a wall and plopped to the floor. Granite laughed. "Like I said, you'll never be me." Rage churned inside Bronze; Granite turned, and Bronze leaped up and charged him again. Granite knew he was coming, so he stuck out his arm and clotheslined Bronze. Bronze slammed into Granite's arm, flipped, and slammed to the floor. Granite towered over him. "Don't even try; you'll just lose." he smirked. Bronze suddenly remembered Granite's bad paw; if he could hurt it, he might have a chance. Granite was still sneering at him, and he carefully his sword paw toward Granite's bad paw. As Granite turned, Bronze hit his bad paw with his sword hilt. Granite yelled and dropped to the floor. Bronze saw his chance; he grabbed Granite's sword and held his and Granite's swords at Granite's throat.

"I'm the Lord Marshall now," Bronze growled.

"No, you aren't," grunted Granite. The door suddenly banged open. Startled, Silverbirch stopped dead in his tracks. "What's going on?" he demanded.

Bronze burned with embarrassment. "Um...I, uh," he stammered.

"Take him to the dungeon!" ordered Silverbirch. Two guards grabbed Bronze's arms and dragged him away.

"What happened?" the king asked.

Granite rose and told him everything. "Selfish brat thinks he can take over my position."

Silverbirch put both paws on Granite's shoulders. "You're the only loyal animal I have left. Trail's injured; Bronze is in the dungeon; Cedar has betrayed me; and our 'sliver-seeker' is possibly dead."

"I'm happy to serve you, Your Sliver Majesty," Granite said. He turned to the tables. "What do you think we should do with them?"

"We should put them in the dungeon; we don't want them causing any more trouble."

Urchin felt himself being unbound and carried to the dungeons. He looked as the guards threw Cedar into a cell. She hit the floor hard; Urchin could tell she had the wind knocked out of her. Urchin had the same thing done to him; he didn't hit the floor as hard as Cedar, but some of his breath was knocked out. He curled up into a corner and eventually fell asleep.

**Urchin's in the dungeons, and Cedar is possibly dead. It seems that salvation for Urchin is dwindling. Never fear! A hero always emerges. I don't want to give anything away, but that's your hint.**

**Bronze was so jealous that he fought with Granite. If you read the book, it says somewhere that he has strong ambition. That ambition exploded here. **

**What do think is going to happen to Urchin? Review! **

**Padra the Otter **


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